What We Sacrifice for Beauty and Pollution

I love vintage and futuristic cars. I appreciate the art behind their detailing, colors, and gadgets. Actually, I plan to collect classics when I am mature and fabulous. I visited the Sculpted Steel exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and was really impressed by the sculptures. It got me thinking about the need to balance this kind of beauty against the pollution it can cause. I started wondering how technology is protecting and hindering the environment.

It is no secret that our planet is suffering. Pollution caused by car emission is one of many issues. When you think about how many fumes we are spewing into the air on a daily basis, since the Industrial Age, it might seem amusing to think we could make any difference to the inevitable. Regardless of which side of that debate you are on, I think we all should make an effort to make an impact on this.

There are alternative means of energy. The variety of alternative fuels and rechargeable energy should be as convenient as finding gas stations in Texas. However, the source of energy for alternative energy should not be coal and oil. That is kind of counterproductive, don’t you think?

Let’s talk about what we are doing globally and individually to protect the beauty of our planet. We can manipulate the weather. Not only can we make it rain, but we can reduce the number of hurricanes that occur each year. Actually, in 2009, Bill Gates applied to patent technology that would cool the water before hurricanes develop. In 2014, the United Nations published a report showing how the hole in our ozone layer is shrinking thanks to removing certain chemicals from refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol cans in the 1980s. However, the substituted chemical apparently contributes to global warming. In 2015, the Dutch opened the world’s first smog-free tower. It is like a jumbo filter that collects polluted air and returns smog-free air.

I am sharing these examples not only to encourage the younger members of my community to explore innovation in STEM courses and industries, but also to show how technology is helping to protect our planet. There are plenty of ideas like these that need to be supported. I feel we can maintain a balance between tech upgrades that enhance our lives and those that hold our lives hostage. Those movies about smart houses and robots catching feelings and making decisions on their own, like iRobot, Eagle Eye, and Smart House, are not fiction. We already have “smart devices” for our homes growing in number and size. Look at the power of your cell phone! I might not be the first to have a robot assistant, but I will be having the ultimate Sonos speakers experience in my home.

What I love about technology and science, sometimes, is how it always keeps the bigger picture in mind. It puts in perspective what we sacrifice for beauty and pollution. We can do better.

What are you doing to protect the beauty of our planet? What do you think of technology’s role in this issue? Let me know in the comments below. Also, remember to connect with me on Twitter and Instagram. I would love to hear from you.